The Art of Perceptibility
by a.brief.dalliance
Summary: 5 times Kise noticed Kuroko and the time he was noticed back. Or the 5 times Kise fell for Kuroko and the time he realised Kuroko was there to catch him all along.
1. Discovery

_Something different from my usual pairing. I finally finished the anime a few days ago, and it has reignited my love for this fandom._

 _Hope you all enjoy!_

Summary:

 _5 times Kise noticed Kuroko and the time he was noticed back. Or the 5 times Kise fell for Kuroko and the time he realised Kuroko was there to catch him all along._

* * *

 **The Art of Perceptibility**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Discovery**

* * *

Fine.

Kise admitted that the first time he didn't in fact see, or even notice, the pale boy.

His entire being was focused on the absolute monster that was Aomine Daiki. The tall tanned teen was radiating joy and fierce determination as he ducked and weaved between the other players with grace and confidence. His control of the game was absolute and it was a breath taking sight. For someone such as Kise, who had just been thinking how incredibly _boring_ his life was, and how there were no rivals to offer any semblance of real competition, Aomine was like a message sent from above.

Here, finally, was someone worth his time.

He had cajoled and begged his way through the administrative process of switching clubs in the middle of the school year and gleefully slipped on his new basketball shoes. He was told by the no-nonsense coach that he was to begin in third string and should he even wish to see the court at an official game he would just have to train hard like everyone else. Kise had no problems with that. Basketball, like any other sport, came easily to him. He had mastered the basics by the end of the third day and soon was promoted to the second string. Through every training session, he kept an eye out for the blunette, hoping to see him in action again. And with every afternoon that he didn't spot Aomine, Kise's determination grew. He cut back on his modelling sessions and focused on basketball with an intensity that surprised himself.

On the day that Kise was allowed into the gym reserved for the first stringers, once again, the Teiko ace immediately captured his attention. He couldn't help but gape at the enormous leap in talent and skill that Aomine had made since Kise last saw him play.

What kind of middle schooler _dunked_?!

An unfamiliar excitement rose within him, and he was practically buzzing with unrestrained energy. Kise wanted to challenge him. He wanted to compare his skills one-on-one. He wanted to fight and _win._ This would be a true battle. This would be the first time he didn't need to hold back. Rather, he would have to give it his all to even have a sliver of a chance of beating the other boy.

He had been half-heartedly listening to Momoi-san when someone piped up, "Were you calling for me?"

The cool calm voice was effective as a bucket of cold water, stopping his fidgeting and itch to best Aomine in an instant. It also made him jump about three feet into the air. Scrambling back from the pale boy he stuttered, "W-who the hell are you?!"

' _And where the fuck did you come from?!'_

He watched the pink haired manager greet the newcomer enthusiastically, calling him 'Tetsu-kun'. Ah so this was his instructor. Kuroko Tetsuya. While their initial meeting had snared his focus, Kise soon forgot about the quiet boy. He had discovered that there were in fact _four_ monsters.

There was the short red head with an extraordinarily commanding (and slighly terrifying) presence that was in direct contrast to his pretty, delicate features. He seemed to not move an inch throughout his practice game; rather he wordlessly directed his teammates effectively and efficiently like a general on the battlegrounds.

The freakishly tall purple haired giant seemed like he was half asleep most of the game but rarely was a single point scored off of him. His hand seemed to shoot up from nowhere, blocking your shot as easily as an iron fortress.

The stern boy with green hair was good, Kise observed, perhaps on par with him. That was his analysis up until he raised his hands and scored a perfect basket from more than a meter away from the three-pointer line.

 _What. The. Hell._

Who were these people?! This was basketball, not some superheroes masquerading as middle schoolers in a shounen manga.

In direct contrast, Kuroko was abysmal. His command of the ball during his court long dribbles was slow and full of openings, and he had no sense for shooting and every attempt was a miss. How on _earth_ was this guy a regular amongst the four prodigies?

Kise's frustration and confusion only grew during the 'celebration' the regulars threw for his promotion. Throughout the chase for the thief on the motorcycle, the pale boy had not contributed in the slightest, just as he had been more of a hindrance than asset during the training sessions that followed. Yet he seemed to command the respect of Aomine and the rest without any effort.

It was during the second string's practice game against Komagi Private School that Kise's anger bubbled over. The combination of their opponent's underhanded tactics and the blank almost nonchalant look that Kuroko spotted while being benched for majority of a game that Kise was _losing_ in drove the blonde to new heights of irritation. When the smaller boy was finally subbed in during the last quarter, Kise had just about had it.

He was just in the middle of a sneer and thinking derogatorily that Kuroko was so weak no one was even bothering to guard him at all when the basketball seemed to appear in his hands. Kise blinked owlishly at Kuroko, who still had his arm outstretched from the pass before realising that everyone else on the court was as equally shocked and distracted. He jumped and made the shot before anyone could move.

Riding on the momentum of the other team's rising confusion and panic, Kise made shot after shot. All of them assisted by the strange, pale boy who seemed to teleport around the court, redirecting the ball and controlling the flow of the game. Kise's grudging respect and admiration grew with every eerily accurate pass. The ball seemed to soar straight into his waiting hands, no matter what position he took on the court. And with every successful play that they made, Kise felt excitement and glee bubble from deep within him. He felt the most ridiculous urge to burst out laughing from sheer joy.

While Aomine and the rest of the regulars had filled him with competitive determination to strive for improvement, it was being partnered with Kuroko that showed Kise basketball was equivalent to happiness. He ran around the court – exhausted and grinning so fiercely that his cheeks hurt – catching pass after pass.

It was exhilarating.

After the game, Kise bestowed his mentor with his new nickname, 'Kurokocchi'. Despite the seemingly annoyed side eye the pale boy sent him, Kise caught the slight upward twitch of his lips and the new warmth in previously chilly eyes. It sent his heart cartwheeling and butterflies scattering in his stomach. Kise waved it off as excess adrenaline from winning his first basketball match.

In retrospect, it was probably then that the blonde had fallen head over heels for the bluenette.


	2. We Meet Again

Summary:

 _5 times Kise noticed Kuroko and the time he was noticed back. Or the 5 times Kise fell for Kuroko and the time he realised Kuroko was there to catch him all along._

* * *

 **The Art of Perceptibility**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: We Meet Again**

* * *

Kise looked on with amusement as Kagami Taiga belligerently waved the broken basketball hoop in the air. The Seirin player's fierce energy reminded him of the old Aomine.

His captain's strong hand clasped his shoulder, "Get changed, coach's order."

A smug smile spread across the blonde's face as he complied.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

"You're finally in," Kagami said, pleased.

Although he nodded in acknowledgement, Kise's attention was directed entirely towards the blunette, delighted that he would once again be sharing the court with Kuroko.

The Seirin captain gave Kise a brief lookover before saying admiringly, "You're way too intense for a model when you're on."

Pride swelled in Kise's chest at Kuroko's serious response, "He's not just putting on a show."

His reply was interrupted by the screaming and cheering from his fan club. Kise turned and waved cheerfully at them, glancing at Kuroko from the corner of his eye as he did so. He _thought_ he saw a slight thinning of the smaller boy's lips and was about to take advantage of the situation when he was once again cut off – this time by a full force kick from Kasamatsu.

"Ow, senpai~!" he whined.

Chastised by the brief lecture he received, Kise turned his focus onto the practice math.

The first quarter was absolutely brutal.

Both teams went all out, demolishing the other's defence – it quickly became a shoot out. Yet through the tough plays, Kise couldn't help but beam internally at the shock and grudging admiration shown towards Kuroko by his current teammates. Simultaneously, he was quickly becoming aware of the mass of talent that was Kagami. Although Kise had managed to reply in turn to everyone of the redhead's challenges thus far, he was astonished to watch Kagami evolve through the game; running faster, dunking harder, jumping higher. Once again he experienced a strong sense of déjà vu. Kise could almost see the shadowed outline of a certain tanned teenager imprint beside Kagami.

He bit his lip, hard.

Irrational panic was welling inside Kise.

' _Not again.'_

* * *

" _It's not fair! I want Kurokocchi to pass to me too!"_

 _Kise was in full tantrum mode, clinging to the smaller boy and blinking large golden eyes down at him hoping to cajole Kuroko._

" _Tch, get off him, Kise!"_

 _A tanned arm shot out and bopped Kise on the head and proceeded to shove him forcefully off Kuroko._

" _But…"_

" _Ryota."_

 _Kise fell silent at his captain's voice._

" _While Kuroko works well with all of us, it's when paired with Aomine that his skills are showcased in the best possible light," Midorima stated while adjusting his glasses in his annoying know-it-all way._

 _Kise was tempted to stick his tongue out at him._

" _Hn. Kuro-chin and Mine-chin don't really get along in a lot of things, but when it comes to basketball, they're exactly alike."_

" _While Atsushi is not wrong, it's most likely because Aomine shines the brightest of us all, and in turn casts the deepest shadows."_

 _His teammates continued their musings as they walked ahead towards the convenience store they regularly frequented. Kise hung back, watching the backs of the two boys whom had influenced him the most. Aomine had a casual arm slung around Kuroko's shoulder and must have been teasing the smaller boy as a tiny smile flirted at the corners of Kuroko's lips._

 _Kise's shoulders slumped. They looked so comfortable together, exchanging easy conversation. They had already forgotten about him. There had never been a space for him beside Kuroko's side._

 _He looked down at the pavement fighting back hot sting of tears. He clenched his fists, his fingernails biting into his palm painfully. If becoming a stronger player – a brighter light – would mean being closer to Kuroko, then he would do just that. He'd challenge Aomine everyday if he had to._

 _Kise would become the sun itself._

 _Resolved, he shook off his melancholy and plastered on a wide smile before bounding up to his friends._

* * *

Distracted as he was with memories, and the growing resentment of the effortless way Kagami worked Kuroko, Kise turned without thinking during a fast break from Kagami. Before he knew it his hand had slammed into the side of the phantom's head and Kuroko was falling.

Kise stood frozen in horror as Seirin rushed to their teammates side.

A pale blue eye gazed up at him in a daze, crimson blood streaking from underneath his fringe and obscuring his other eye.

The model watched with increasing worry as the female coach tended to Kuroko. His fidgeting was clearly irritating his captain but for once Kasamatsu just huffed and left him alone.

What was wrong with him?

Ever since that fateful game in second year middle school, Kise had not once lost track of Kuroko's presence. He played along with the shadow's games and let Kuroko sneak up on him and fake shock, but internally Kise was baffled that anyone who really knew the smaller boy could forget about his existence. To Kise, Kuroko was a blazing flame and the blonde a moth that was unerringly drawn towards him. He knew the moment the blunette would walk into a room and a part of his mind would remain focused on Kuroko no matter what other distractions may exist.

But now, he had hurt the male he adored with his careless actions.

The guilt and concern for Kuroko was like a heavy blanket that engulfed Kise. It wasn't until the phantom player returned to the court that he started out of his stupor.

Kagami assessed Kuroko with an intense gaze before nodding slightly and announcing, "Let's go."

Kise saw the way Kuroko's blank expression morphed into one of conviction which was compounded by the firm reply, "Yeah."

The model looked on enviously before shaking his head forcefully, trying to clear his mind. He had to focus, they were still in the middle of a game. Kise knew how seriously Kuroko took basketball and how much he valued dedication and concentration. He had let him down once already, Kise was determined to see this game through properly.

He lost.

He… _lost_.

Kise couldn't even remember the last time such a thing happened. Probably one of the one-on-one matches that used to be a constant but Aomine had eventually abandoned. He almost wanted to laugh a little hysterically. Of course it was Kuroko who had brought him down. Who else would have the audacity? The will?

Eventually Kise left the empty locker room of Kaijo and went in search of Kuroko. He found him leaving a nearby restaurant and the conversation that followed only expanded the bitter feeling that was gnawing at his heart.

Kuroko's confidence in Kagami was absolute.

The three-on-five street game was a brief but welcome balm to his hurt. Kise relished the opportunity to play one more time with Kuroko. He knew that such a time may not come again; they would be facing each other on opposite sides of the court in the future.

Laying on his bed that night, Kise couldn't help but chuckle fondly at the memory of Kuroko's stubborn pout in the face of the bullies. That was so typical of the pale boy – righeous to the very core. It was one of the qualities that had attracted the blonde in the first place.

Sighing the blonde flipped over onto his front, blindly reaching for his phone. Hesitating over the familiar contact he impulsively shot off a text. Staring unblinkingly at the phone, Kise willed it to buzz with the notification of a reply. A half hour passed before he buried his face into his pillow to muffle his defeated and frustrated scream.

In Tokyo, a light blue phone vibrated with an incoming message. It was unnoticed by the recipient who was slumped over in exhaustion and snoring lightly.

* * *

 _I hope you enjoyed that! As always, I would love it if you left a message on what you think. :)_


	3. Comfort

**The Art of Perceptibility**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Comfort**

* * *

Kise stared unseeingly out into the distance.

Aomine had grown exponentially stronger since middle school. It was hard to believe that it had been less than a year ago that he was teammates with that monster. Kise sighed, closing his eyes and willing himself to relax in the final minutes of half time. He savoured the tingling sensation of the summer breeze drying off the perspiration on his face.

A moment later a very different tingle ran down his spine.

 _Kuroko._

 _So he had come after all._

Kise scoffed internally. " _Of course Kuroko had come, Aomine was playing_ ," he told himself, stomping down hard on the scrap of hope that had bloomed in his chest. The model steadied himself before turning to the smaller boy with wide eyes.

"Kurokocchi!"

He hadn't expected two pairs of identical powder blue eyes to stare back at him. The slight jolt of surprise was genuine this time.

"What's with the dog?"

"I kept him in my bag while I was watching, so I thought I would let him get some fresh air during the break."

Kise bent down, alternating his gaze between the cute little husky to the equally (if not more) cute teenager holding him. He held back a snicker, "There's plenty I could say about that."

Kise paused, gnawing on his lip. He knew he wasn't going to like the answer but he pushed on, "So, what is Kurokocchi doing here?"

"We were training nearby until yesterday, so we decided to come watch the Inter-High together."

His heart sank.

Affecting a teasing smile, he withdrew from Kuroko and leant back against the railing, "So you didn't come to cheer me on."

It wasn't a question. But regardless, the reply came swiftly.

"No."

Kise felt his heart give a sharp squeeze, "So mean~!"

It was a game Kise often played to distract himself from his heartache. He would voice his inner thoughts faithfully but twist his tone and expression just enough so the meaning would be misconstrued by the shadow. He continued on in a lilting voice, "By the way…between Aominecchi and me, who do you think will win?"

The blonde was surprised that the answer wasn't immediate. Instead the phantom player was looking at him in consideration before replying softly, "I don't know."

"What?" Kise cocked his head and looked over at his friend in question.

Kuroko returned his gaze squarely, "As long as you don't give up, anything could happen, and I don't think either of you will give up."

Kise's breath caught in his throat. During their Teiko years, he had made it his personal mission to become adept in reading not only Kuroko's micro-expressions but also the important but unspoken words the shadow often omitted in their conversation. He thought he knew what Kuroko was really trying to tell him.

" _Don't give up. I believe in you."_

The Seirin player continued, "So, I don't think it would be strange if either of you won."

Kise hummed happily, "I'll go do my best, then."

A sharp yap caught his attention. Kuroko looked startled.

Kise shifted uncomfortably, "Huh? What?"

"Nothing. I just thought you would say, 'I'll definitely win!'"

Kise huffed a slightly self-deprecating laugh. He was so tired. He was exhausted of putting on the chirpy, cheerful front that everyone had come to expect from him. In that moment, he just wanted Kuroko to see him, the real Kise. Dropping all pretence, he answered seriously. "Of course that's what I'm trying to do, but honestly, I don't know either. In middle school, it was natural for us to win, but…" Kise trailed off.

At least it had been natural for Aomine to win. Whether it be official matches, their one-on-one challenges, or a certain blunette's affections, Aomine had always come out on top as the victor. Kise felt the familiar bitterness rising in his chest.

"I feel better now not knowing if I'll win."

But he did know. He had known it in Teiko, known it during the Seirin and Tōō match, and he knew it now.

He wouldn't win.

* * *

 _Kise could happily strangle Aomine. That bastard had destroyed Kuroko._

 _The blonde had seen how devastated Seirin's loss had been for the pale boy and while he respected basketball too much to ever suggest for anyone to go easy on their opponent, it had been completely unnecessary for Aomine to crush their ex-teammate's spirit and will in that manner._

 _Midorima's words had been redundant. Kise knew exactly how much damage had been dealt to Kuroko's psyche, seeing his basketball rendered useless in the face of the raw talent of Aomine._

 _His blood seemed to froth angrily within him. He wanted to_ hurt _Aomine._

 _Kise's jaw tightened, as he tried to regain control of his emotions. Kuroko would be furious if he acted impulsively, even if it was in his defence._

 _So instead of hunting down Aomine and bashing his stupid face in like he really,_ really _wanted to, Kise waited quietly by the exit exclusively used by the players. He nodded to the defeated figures that made up Seirin's team as they trailed out and even clapped Kagami briefly on the back in support when the red head passed him._

 _He hadn't expected Kagami to pause and turn a thoughtful gaze on him before nodding in apparent satisfaction, "Look after him." The red head scrubbed at his red-rimmed eyes roughly, "God knows we can't right now."_

 _It was another twenty minutes before the phantom player appeared at the doorway. He looked exhausted and drained. Kise wordlessly took Kuroko's sports bag from him and with a gentle hand at his back, steered him towards a quiet café that he knew from personal experience offered a private and soothing environment._

 _Kise pushed a vanilla milkshake in front of Kuroko and leant back to sip at his coffee. He sat patiently with the other boy, silently offering his company and support._

 _Not a single word passed between the two in the following hours._

 _The silence was finally broken as they walked towards the train station._

" _Thank you, Kise-kun."_

 _The blonde started, not expecting the depth of gratitude and fondness in Kuroko's voice. He smiled fondly down at Kuroko and gently ruffled his hair, "Anytime, Kurokocchi."_

 _Kuroko offered him a barely there smile. It was more than enough to send Kise's heart thundering, threatening to pound straight through his ribs and transforming the model's smile into a blinding beam. Kuroko blinked at him for a few moments before looking away. Kise could have sworn that there was the tiniest flush to the other boy's cheeks. His train of thought was derailed when Kuroko turned back to him, this time determination shining in his eyes._

" _Next time, I'm going to win. I will make Aomine-kun acknowledge my basketball."_

 _The wattage of Kise's grin fell and then immediately returned, albeit dimmer and a little forced. Even now, Aomine was in the forefront of Kuroko's mind._

" _Of course you will, Kurokocchi!"_

* * *

Kaijo lost.

Even though Kise had half-expected it, he still couldn't stop the hot tears from escaping. Despite the way Aomine had sneered, he couldn't regret his decision of passing the ball in that crucial moment. Kuroko had taught him the importance of believing in your teammates, and Kise refused to abandon that.

It was comforting to know that his team grieved with him, that they held no grudge or dissatisfaction with his performance. Rather, they had all given him watery smiles and praised him. Even Kasamatsu-senpai.

Still, it was a relief when the locker room had emptied and Kise could finally sob in frustrated disappointment. He had played harder than he had ever had in his life and yet it wasn't enough. The model couldn't help but think – when it came down to it – _he_ wasn't enough.

Kise rose shakily to his feet, trying to ward off the insecurities that threatened to overwhelm him.

He was stunned to find Kuroko waiting outside the door.

"K-kuroko…cchi?"

The other teenager flashed a soft, comforting smile at him.

"Come on, Kise-kun."


	4. Ultimate

_This is based off episodes 53 and 62 of the anime. With my own spin of course :)_

* * *

 **The Art of Perceptibility**

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Ultimate**

* * *

He could only watch helplessly as Haizaki slammed in yet another dunk.

Kise landed painfully on the wooden court and when he moved to push himself up, sharp shooting agony danced its way up his leg. He bit down hard on his lip to muffle the cry of pain that was fighting to get out.

 _Fuck_.

"Impossible…"

"Kise is completely powerless against him?"

He could hear the incredulous voices of his teammates and he wished he could reassure them, but they were trailing seventeen points behind Fukuda High with only five minutes left in the game, and Kise couldn't see a way out of the mess they were in. He had run out of tricks, had nothing left to pull out of the proverbial hat. The stockpile of moves he had carefully and meticulously collected and perfected over the years was almost depleted.

 _Fuck, fuck, fuck._

Haizaki was standing over him taunting him with a far-off memory that Kise couldn't care less about. The model was busy trying to come up with a strategy. He _had_ to get to the next round. He had vowed to Kuroko that they would play against each other in an official game and he'd be thrice damned before recanting a promise made to the other boy.

 _But how? What could he do?_

Kise could feel himself sinking into the pit of despair and self-defeat when a strong, clear voice called out from the stands.

"I believe in you, Kise-kun!"

The blonde froze, his eyes widening.

' _Kuro…ko…cchi?'_

He whipped his head up to stare into the crowd, desperately searching for a head of bright blue hair. Kise's heart skipped a beat when he locked eyes with Kuroko, his breath escaping in a rush.

Blue eyes brimming with faith and assurance bore straight into his soul. Kise huffed a laugh as he felt strength flow back into his exhausted limbs and his chest felt full enough to burst open at any moment.

"Shogo-kun, I'll tell you this before I win."

Kise straightened up, the persistent angry throb pain of his ankle fading to a dull ache as he felt his concentration spiral inwards.

"You've totally got things wrong. Like about that girl…"

(It had never been a _girl_ that had caused Kise so much grief and torment.)

"She just plastered herself all over me and started calling herself my girlfriend. To be honest, I was fed up with her."

(Fed up with the way she had been taking so much of his time and attention away from the person he adored.)

"She was so full of pride, and all she could do was brag about the status of 'dating a model'."

( _He_ would never do that. Kise smiled wryly. In fact, he would probably refuse to date him _because_ he was a model who constantly attracted attention and stares wherever he went.)

Kise's voice hardened, "Just because you managed to peel off one girl that flocked over based on looks, don't get carried away."

With that, the Kaijo team breathed a collective sigh of relief. Their ace was back. They wanted to show Kise that their belief in him was unwavering and so immediately passed to him.

Kise took a deep breath and stared down at the ball in his hands.

There was an air of anticipation in the stadium now.

A harsh voice cut through the tension, "You're nothing but a scrap with nothing good left, Ryota!"

Suddenly, anger buzzed at the edge of his vision. Kise was sick and tired of this failure of a 'miracle' parading around like he was somehow _better_ than his Teiko teammates. This dreadlock loser knew nothing of the trials they had gone through, the backbreaking practices that went well into the night, the sacrifices that they had all made (the ultimate sacrifice of friendship) in order to come as far as they had.

Kise smiled mockingly, "Who is?"

It was time to settle this once and for all. He was going to show this silly little upstart exactly what being a member of the Generation of Miracles was about.

"Our styles are completely different," he declared.

As he bent his knees and raised his arms in the familiar graceful motion that Kise had seen again and again during practice in middle school, he leaped into the air and basked in the utter shock painted on Haizaki's face.

"Wha…"

Kise smirked as he watched the ball sink directly through the centre of the hoop. The force of the cheers that rang through the air threatened to bring down the stadium.

Haizaki's shock soon morphed into anger.

Kise couldn't help but taunt him further, "Girls, titles…if you want them, you can have as many of them as you want. But I have a promise to keep that is more important than any of that."

Every inch of his being burned with intense resolve, "I will make sure to get there…"

Looking directly into the cold, furious eyes of Haizaki, Kise roared, "So don't you get in my way!"

With that, Kise proceeded with an aggressive offensive and demolished the opponent's defence with unpredictable switches between vastly different styles and managed to nullify the point difference in a heartbeat.

"Shogo-kun, you said something earlier like 'I thought I'd grab the seat of the Generation of Miracles'?" He asked mockingly with faux concern, "How are you feeling now?"

In retrospect, he had probably taken it a tad too far. The next thing Kise knew, Haizaki had trampled his injured foot and was running off with the ball. Gritting his teeth, Kise pushed through the pain and leapt, slamming the ball from Haizaki's hands.

"I thought I told you," he growled, "Don't you get in my way! The winner is not you! It's me!"

Following that declaration the blonde steamrolled past the rest of the Fukuda players and made the final dunk of the match.

Kise's teammates cheers and hugs rained down around him but he only had one thought in mind. Turning, he released a heavy breath and with it, the tension and strain of using the Perfect Copy. He grinned triumphantly up into the stands and raised a victorious fist.

The answering smile was tinged with pride and excited anticipation.

' _I made it Kurokocchi. We're going to be playing on the same court soon.'_

* * *

The buzzer sounded.

The game was over.

Once again Kaijo had lost to Seirin.

Kise stood silent amongst the cheers of both the crowd and their opponents and let the bitter sting of disappointment sink in. Looking enviously across at the pair who had come to stand in front of him, Kise forced a grin.

"It was a total loss…" he extended a hand in congratulations and exchanged brief words with Kagami.

"Kise-kun," a quiet voice spoke up, "You really were strong."

 _But not strong enough._

Kise looked down at Kuroko seriously, before heaving a sigh and pouting, "In the past, I'd totally brag about it after hearing that, but now I can only think you're being sarcastic."

The blonde allowed himself to relish in the brief contact as he and Kuroko clasped hands before turning away to hide the tears that were welling up.

Up until the first year of middle school, Kise had been an average boy, never really having stood out. He had been smart, but not the smartest, fast but not the fastest, funny but not the funniest, kind but not the kindest…It had only been after he hit puberty that he had achieved first place in something – being deemed the most attractive male in the school.

Kise would give that up in a heartbeat if it meant he could firmly situate himself in Kuroko's good opinion and affections. Just as that depressing thought crossed his mind he caught the tail end of Kuroko and Kagami's exchange, "He is the best player…Kise-kun of Kaijo."

Kise went stock-still.

' _B-best?'_

Had he heard that right?

' _Kurokocchi thinks I'm the…best?'_


	5. Light

**The Art of Perceptibility**

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Light**

* * *

Kise tossed restlessly onto his right side and remained that way for about seven seconds before flopping onto his back. Staring up at the ceiling, the blonde willed himself to drift off to sleep but he was too hyped up to even close his eyes for longer than a few moments. His entire body tingled with excited energy and his heart was pounding with anticipation.

He had a _date_ with Kuroko tomorrow.

Just thinking about it created a gurgle of happy laughter to bubble up from his throat.

Admitting defeat for now, Kise kicked off the restrictive covers and rolled towards his nightstand. He picked up the treasured framed photo and studied it for the umpteenth time. His lips unconsciously curved into a smile as he took in the tableau of him and Kuroko.

The photo had been taken on Kuroko's birthday a few months ago when the entire gang of Generation of Miracles had gotten together to play on a street court. Kise had carefully cropped the rest of his friends out, leaving just himself and the pale haired boy.

Kise's smile gentled as he brushed a finger lightly over Kuroko's features. The camera had captured the moment Kuroko had turned to look over at him, as the model had beamed at the camera, delighted with spending the entire day with his favourite person in the world.

If everything went well tomorrow, hopefully, such occurrences would become a regular thing.

* * *

Kise had woken up at the crack of dawn, scrubbed himself from head to toe – he had even exfoliated to make sure his skin was baby soft and had smoothed on his favourite lightly scented moisturiser – and then spent the next hour meticulously picking out his outfit. He had finally decided on a pair of black jeans that clung to all the right places, a crisp white long sleeve shirt paired with a snug black vest, and finished the look with his favourite light purple scarf. After spritzing himself lightly with a warm, woodsy scented cologne Kuroko had complimented once, he gave himself a final scrutinising look in the mirror.

' _Hm, were the pants too tight? Sure, they make my ass look great but…'_

Hesitating, Kise was about to change when he realised he would have to leave now if he wanted to be on time.

His outfit would have to do.

Kise watched the scenery fly by on the train and fiddled with the fringes of his scarf absentmindedly. It was soft and slightly worn around the edges, probably because he used it so frequently. The scarf had been a birthday gift from Kuroko in middle school, the smaller boy had handed the messily wrapped package to him silently and walked off before he could even thank him properly. The fond memory had him smiling giddily and he practically bounced off the train when it reached the station.

He felt his heart swell with fondness and skip several beats upon turning the corner and spotting the familiar head of messy bed hair that never seemed to be able to be tamed. Kise had just opened his mouth to send a loud cheerful greeting to Kuroko when he spotted two other familiar figures. His previously confident and eager steps faltered as he studied the situation with confusion.

' _What were Aominecchi and Kagamicchi doing here?'_

He felt like cold water had been dumped down the back of his shirt as realisation dawned. His heart seemed to gain about a thousand pounds as it sank to his feet and his mind went numb.

' _Oh.'_

This wasn't a date.

God, how could he have been so stupid? He was just about to spin around and head back home – most likely to sob his heart out in his bedroom and sulk for the rest of the school break – when a brash voice called out, "Oi, Kise! Over here!"

Kise squeezed his eyes shut in frustration before plastering on a smile and closing the distance between him and the three other males.

"Hi~!"

Kagami and Aomine muttered their hellos and then proceeded to descend into an argument of where to eat for lunch. Kuroko greeted him quietly and sent him a troubled probing look, so Kise forcefully increased the brightness of his smile.

"Kise-kun, about Aomine-kun and Kagami-kun-"

Kuroko had always been perceptive and the model really, really didn't want to hear his formal rejection and explanation of why he had invited their friends along, so he carefully cut him off with a peppy, "Kurokocchi! I haven't seen you in so long!" He even threw in a playful pout. "So, tell me, what have you and Seirin been up to?"

The thin veneer of pretence didn't seem to convince Kuroko but he let out a tiny huff and allowed Kise to continue without protest as they headed to the nearest café.

Kise picked listlessly at his salad as he watched the two fiery aces spit insults at each other from across the table. Kuroko seemed to be busy playing peacemaker, although from the minute twitching of his eye, he was quickly reaching the end of his patience.

The blonde sighed before crunching unhappily on a lettuce leaf. He was such an idiot. Kuroko had only agreed to go out to lunch with him; there had been no mention of a date whatsoever. Kise had just imagined the undertones in the texts they had exchanged and clearly, in his long, desperate quest for Kuroko's heart and attention, become delusional. He had somehow talked himself into actually believing that the smaller boy had finally relented and was giving him a chance. Kise scoffed at himself.

 _Stupid, stupid, stupid._

As he looked around the table at his friends, the familiar feeling of loneliness welled up and became lodged in his throat. Aomine and Kagami's yelling was getting more heated, the intense debate seemed to be about whether cheeseburgers or teriyaki burgers were superior.

When Aomine slung a careless profanity at the redhead, Kagami leapt out of his seat which prompted Aomine to do the same. As the two clashed their heads together angrily, Kuroko – sitting between the two – reached out and forcefully pushed them back to their respective sides of the table with a strong hand on their forehead.

"Would Kagami-kun and Aomine-kun please calm down before we're kicked out?"

The question was phrased politely and the tone of his voice was dangerously calm, but they all knew better. There was the slightest tinge of dark irritation to the words. It seemed the two aces weren't entirely without a brain as they meekly returned to their seats.

The peace was short lived as two voices spoke simultaneously.

"So Kuroko-"

"Tetsu-"

They glared at each other before launching into a different contest. This time they were trying to get Kuroko's attention before the other, although they did it in a much more subdued manner and at a significantly lower volume.

A bitter smile lingered at the edges of Kise's lips. It had been this way in middle school and the tradition seemed hell-bent on continuing now. Aomine, and now Kagami too, would always be Kuroko's priority. With the two lights in the room, Kise might as well have not existed. He was almost certain that if he could use misdirection and disappeared right now, the other three wouldn't even notice, so absorbed as they were in each other.

And why wouldn't they be? Kise's light was paltry in comparison to Kagami and Aomine. They were like miniature suns, dominating the court and commanded attention and respect easily. In contrast, Kise was more like...the moon. He absorbed and copied other players' talents and duplicated it well enough, he supposed. So he gave off light but it was a pale imitation of the real deal. Kuroko couldn't thrive under such weak illumination.

 _He never really stood a chance did he?_

That thought sent his stomach roiling.

"Kise-kun, are you feeling alright? You look a little…green."

It gave Kise the perfect chance to excuse himself, saying he wasn't feeling too well and that he would catch up with them at another time. He stood up hastily, almost knocking over his chair, so eager to get out of the suddenly stifling room.

As he pushed through the doors he thought he heard Kuroko protest, calling out his name in concern but he shrugged it off as his imagination.

They had probably forgotten about him already.


	6. The Other Side

**The Art of Perceptibility**

* * *

 **Chapter 6: The Other Side**

* * *

 _Damn it_.

Kuroko gave into the overwhelming urge and dropped his head heavily onto the table repeatedly.

Aomine and Kagami paused in their bickering to look at him in concern.

"Tetsu…?" Aomine asked tentatively.

The head of pale blue hair lifted abruptly and Kuroko whipped around to glare at his two best friends.

Kagami backed away unconsciously, raising his hands in surrender, "W-what's your problem, Kuroko?"

"You two. You're my problem. I _told_ you that this was my first date with Kise-kun. Why would you then go and _tag along_?!" Kuroko's voice rose with each word and finished in a near shout.

Aomine huffed uncomfortably and turned away to scowl out the window, remaining resolutely silent. The unspoken message that it was up to Kagami to explain was heard loud and clear.

Kagami cleared his throat nervously and defensively crossed his arms across his chest before muttering, "We wanted to make sure the blonde bastard wouldn't try something funny. He's always hanging all over you and…"

The redhead trailed off nervously as a dark aura seemed to surround his shadow. Aomine who had previously been nodding along to Kagami's words froze.

"Does Aomine-kun and Kagami-kun believe that I can't look after myself?" Kuroko asked in a deathly quiet voice. "Is it because they believe that I am…weak?"

"NO!" two voices simultaneously and vehemently denied.

The pale boy continued to glower at them.

"Um…would you look at the time?!" Aomine yelled, glancing at the non-existent watch on his wrist and rising to his feet. "I'm, er, supposed to…shop for…socks! With Satsuki! Don't want to make her wait around, right?"

He chuckled nervously before turning and darting out the door.

"Bastard!" Kagami sputtered, before quickly making his own excuse. Something about the dire need to reorganise his cutlery drawer and escaped out of the café, hot on Aomine's heels.

Kuroko sighed.

What was he going to do now?

* * *

The first time Kuroko had seen Kise had stopped him dead in his tracks. His heart seemed to freeze in his chest and there didn't seem to be nearly enough air in the room all of sudden.

The blonde model was _beautiful_ _._

He was utter perfection. Tall, lithely muscular form of broad shoulders, narrow hips, and strong legs, honeyed hair that seemed to float with his every movement, bright, mischievous golden eyes that seemed to shine with the light of a thousand suns and rimmed with the longest eyelashes Kuroko had ever seen, full soft-looking lips that were quick to be pulled into a dazzling smile, and that _voice_.

It could be soft and husky when he was cajoling, sparkling with delight when he was happy, lilting and playful when he was teasing, deep and rich and sending shivers down Kuroko's spine when he was serious. Kuroko found himself treasuring even the whiny, petulant tone Kise took on when he was in a particularly childish mood.

Kuroko hadn't expected for the blonde to return the favour and take notice of him; he had thought that he wouldn't have contact with Kise outside of practice. So surprise was an understatement when he found Kise waiting for him every morning at the school gate without fail, whether it was pouring with rain or hot enough to make even Akashi look like he was wilting. Kise found him every lunch break, chattering his ear off and happily sharing all the best bentos and snacks his fans had given him. After practice, it became the norm for the blonde to plaster himself across Kuroko's shoulders, fighting for his attention with their ace.

At first, Kuroko had thought that his lack of presence was something of a novelty to the model, and that's why he had stuck around. But then Kuroko slowly came to the realisation – with a healthy dash of wonder and awe – that Kise seemed to be aware of him at all times. His suspicious began when he noticed a slight delay in Kise's shocked reactions when Kuroko would sneak up on him. And it was confirmed to the shadow during a tournament's opening ceremony when Kise had effortlessly spotted him across the crowded hall, when he, himself, had trouble finding his teammates, one of whom was easily the tallest in the room.

That realisation had probably been what tipped Kuroko over the edge and sent him tumbling in love with Kise. It was an unprecedented feat, even Kuroko's parents had trouble with keeping track of their son's presence as he had grown older. The thought that he was valued enough to be constantly on someone's mind and attention never failed to kick up his heart rate and send a bubble of warmth to float in his chest and make him glow with happiness.

So Kuroko moved onto another theory. He had rationalised that the model was used to being in the spotlight and for someone to not acknowledge him immediately must have been a bruise to his ego, and Kuroko tried so very to seem unmoved and impassive towards Kise and his antics. Even more so than towards anyone else, because if Kuroko slipped for even an instant, everyone would be able to see the actual depth of his fondness and affection for the blonde.

But as Kuroko got to know Kise better, he came to acknowledge that despite his looks, popularity, intelligence, talents and overwhelmingly charismatic personality, the blonde was, at the core, a humble and genuinely friendly person who thought the best of everyone.

That left only one reason left.

Kise liked him.

The very thought that he might reciprocate his feelings sent Kuroko reeling with shock. Kuroko would freely admit that he was probably above average in the looks department, and he was smart enough, ranking consistently in the top third of his grade. But other than that, what did he have to offer to someone of Kise's calibre? Kuroko had struggled with crippling self-doubt and burning jealousy as he watched hordes of girls, each more pretty than the one before her had confessed to the blonde, only to be politely and kindly rejected.

He continued his seeming indifference and kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, but Kise's devotion had been unwavering. Even during those awful last months at Teiko, Kise had continued to approach Kuroko outside of basketball, trying to valiantly not let their issues on the court spill into their friendship. In the second last week of school Kise had pulled Kuroko aside to ask him to join Kaijo with him. When Kuroko had softly brought up the issue that such a prestigious school wouldn't accept him and his meagre skills, Kise had been angry, demanding that, _"Kurokocchi, you better not sell yourself short! You're one of the people I respect and admire the most. No one insults Kurokocchi, not even Kurokocchi himself!"_

The blonde had further explained that he had spoken to the principal of Kaijo personally and had arranged for Kuroko's acceptance be part of the requirements of Kise's enrolment.

Kuroko had wanted to burst into tears, hearing that. The heaviness that had weighed him for the past few months lifting slightly.

 _Kise-kun still cared._

But Kuroko had a plan and was determined to see it through. He had regretfully turned down Kise's offer. At the blonde's disheartened look and blink-and-you'll-miss-it flash of hurt in those soft honey eyes, Kuroko's chest had tightened. More than anything he wanted to retract his words and tell him, _'Yes, I'll follow Kise-kun anywhere, for as long as you want me to.'_

However, stubbornness stayed Kuroko's tongue, although he did manage to utter a quiet, _"I'm sorry Kise-kun."_

Kise had given him a forced smile in return.

Kuroko had hated himself a little then, for causing the other boy pain. He loathed the way the blonde felt it was necessary for him to hide his true feelings. Kuroko resolved then, that on top of making his former teammates acknowledge his basketball, he would conquer this idiotic self-doubt and fear of his and he would make it clear to Kise that his feelings were returned in two-fold.

* * *

Kuroko had accomplished the former.

Seirin had won the Winter Cup and his friendship with the members of the Generation of Miracles was back on track, and stronger than ever.

Now, to get it through Kise's thick skull that Kuroko was unequivocally in love with him.


	7. Resolve

**The Art of Perceptibility**

* * *

 **Chapter 7: Resolve**

* * *

Kuroko glanced around the school grounds as he walked through the gates of Kaijo. He was almost eighty percent sure this was the correct path to take to reach the basketball gyms.

Since that failure of a date, Kuroko had patiently waited for Kise to contact him, as he had always done so previously, begging for catch up sessions. Kuroko had planned to accept Kise's next offer and ensure that, this time, his two best friends remained unaware of their meeting.

Kuroko had been alarmed to be on the receiving end of absolute silence from the blonde. He had grown increasingly concerned and had been about to send a carefully worded text when his phone had buzzed in his hand. Kuroko had almost dropped his phone when he saw Kise's name flash across the screen. The message had been a simple greeting, unadorned with the blonde's usual flamboyant emoticons, but it had sent sharp relief rushing through Kuroko's body.

The phantom player came to the tentative conclusion that things had returned to normal. But then he noticed that Kise's messages seemed to be slow to come and lacking in their usual enthusiasm and cheeriness, and three weeks down the track he had yet to suggest even a single meeting – Kise was avoiding him.

Kuroko had wanted to confront the blonde; he knew Kise's schedule and it would be easy to arrange for him to conveniently 'bump into' the model. But then the school year had started and Kuroko had been roped into training the new first years whom had joined the basketball team, and he just never seemed to be able to find time to implement his plan.

In retrospect, the pale haired boy had to guiltily admit that his willingness to let things go with the flow for so long was because in his heart he had always assumed that Kise would always be there waiting for him.

Then the texts between the two former teammates seem to change in tone.

Where the blonde previously spent paragraphs gushing about Kuroko's basketball prowess and how, 'awesome Kurokocchi'was, Kise now chattered endlessly about this new kouhai whom had joined his team. At first, Kuroko had paid it little mind but then this _Tadashi-kun_ character started permeating every gushing sentence.

The text that Kuroko received the night before was the final straw. His hands had clenched involuntarily in irritation as he scanned the screen with narrow eyes.

 _Kurokocchi, you'll never guess what Tadashicchi did today! (_ _ﾉ^_ _ヮ_ _^)_ _ﾉ_ _*:_ _・ﾟ_

 _I think he used MISDIRECTION! щ(_ _゜ロ゜_ _щ) It was only for one pass but STILL!_

 _Tadasicchi was so amazing! I couldn't believe it! He reminds me of you so much! o(*^._ _^*)o o(*^._ _^*)o_

Kuroko snapped his phone shut so hard he was vaguely surprised that the screen didn't crack. He gnawed on his lower lip and paced around his room, rattled.

' _Tadasicchi? Since when did Tadashi-_ kun _become Tadasicchi?!'_

He scoffed, pushing his hands through his hair and tugged on the tufts in agitation.

' _He reminds me of you…'_

Those words ran continuously through his mind without rest for the rest of the night.

The very next day Kuroko approached his coach during the lunch break and informed her that he wouldn't be able to attend practice that afternoon. His distress and impatience must have shone on his face, for once, because she nodded her approval without any further questions.

The moment the final bell rang, he was out of his seat and was at the door before he remembered to wave a careless hand at Kagami.

After a train ride that seemed to take an eternity, Kuroko finally stood at the entrance of the Kaijo courts.

The practice seemed to be wrapping up, with the new captain shouting his last orders for the day. Kuroko's eyes zeroed in on the tall blonde figure shooting hoops. His heart skipped a beat and a fine shiver ran down his spine as he took in Kise for the first time in weeks.

Kuroko watched intently as dark haired boy holding a basketball approach Kise. The model turned immediately and crowed, "Tatdasicchi!" before shooting a glowing smile at the boy and engaging him in cheerful conversation.

Kuroko's jaw ticked as he watched Tadashi glance down shyly, cheeks pink, before replying. Pale blue eyes narrowed into menacing slits when Kise manoeuvred behind Tadashi and arranged the shorter male's limbs into a shooting position and guiding Tadashi's hands with his own to shoot a perfect basket.

Kuroko's teeth were beginning to hurt with how hard he was grinding them together. His tolerance broke when he saw the dark flush that had enveloped Tadashi's face and the coy, adoring way he was looking up at Kise through his eyelashes. He couldn't help but think darkly, "Get your unworthy self off of Kise-kun right this instant. I'm the only one Kise-kun is allowed to touch."

Kuroko forcibly uncrossed his arms which had locked defensively across his chest, and stepped forward, clearing his throat slightly. He was gratified to see Kise's head whip up in surprise, eyes widening with wonder before softening and becoming infinitely more tender.

Kise bounded across the gym without sparing a glance at Tadashi, who looked increasingly sullen by the second.

"Kurokocchi~!"

Kuroko thought he was used to Kise's clingy and tight hugs by now, but this time he found himself frowning and wishing for the hug to be just that much tighter and clingier. He promptly remedied that by curling his own arms around Kise's waist possessively and pulled him a touch closer. Kuroko felt Kise stiffen slightly in shock before the blonde melted into the embrace and took advantage of Kuroko's uncharacteristically demonstrative mood and subtly nuzzled into the soft pale blue strands that were situated at the perfect height.

"Kurokocchi has never hugged me back before," Kise murmured into his hair.

Kuroko squirmed a little and shrugged, slightly self-conscious.

Kise chuckled lightly before withdrawing slightly and beamed down at the phantom, "So what's brought Kurokocchi to Kaijo?"

Kuroko could feel heat blooming at the tips of his ears threaten to engulf his entire body under that sunny smile. He turned his head and coughed a little.

"I wanted to make sure Kise-kun wasn't slacking off. You promised me that we would see each other at the Inter High this year," Kuroko raised his eyes to meet golden ones that seemed to sparkle with amusement and determination.

"Of course I remember! How could Kurokocchi accuse me of forgetting a promise I made to him!" Kise clutched at his chest dramatically. "In fact," a sly smile making its way across his face, "Since Kurokocchi is here, why don't we play a match?"

Kuroko was about to refuse, that wasn't the aim of his visit. But then he saw Tadashi, (the little eavesdropping bastard) light up at the thought of spending more time with Kise. Irrational fear lanced through Kuroko and he found himself blurting, "Alright, Kise-kun. But on the condition that we're on the same team."

Kise paused before turning a disbelieving gaze onto Kuroko.

"Kurokocchi?" Incredulity melted into concern and the blonde raised a hand to Kuroko's forehead. Kuroko forced himself to remain still and not to give into the urge to lean into the warm, calloused hand. "Are you feeling ok? First you come all the way to Kaijo and now you want to _team up_ with me?"

Kuroko huffed, brushing off Kise's hand, "I'm fine, Kise-kun. Let's begin."

Kise shot one last lingering look at Kuroko before jogging over to his captain to explain the situation. Kuroko could see the Kaijo leader brighten at the idea of pitting the phantom sixth man of the Generation of Miracles against his players. Reassured that things were in order, Kuroko returned his gaze to Tadashi only to find the dark haired boy's eyes already on him.

Tadashi was studying him intently with the air one had when judging the worth of a rival. The first year must have found Kuroko lacking as he turned away dismissively, a sharp smile splashed across his face. Kuroko's shoulders tensed as he felt anger roil in his stomach. He was used to his opponents' disdain and through the years had learnt to ignore it but something about Tadashi grated against his very being and Kuroko found himself wanting to show the haughty freshman just what he was capable of.

A gentle hand on his shoulder broke Kuroko's train of thought. Turning, he found Kise smiling down at him, as he urged, "Come on, Kurokocchi! Captain said that we can only play a half game, but" his voice bubbled over with excitement, "We haven't played on the same team since that streetball 5-on-3 game last year. I'm looking forward to working with Kurokocchi again!"

As the players settled into position waiting for the tip off, Tadashi planted himself across from Kuroko, his gaze focused on the pale boy. Kuroko closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, his expression was once again impassive and calm.

The whistle blew and the coach threw the ball in the air.

Kuroko disappeared.

The phantom couldn't help but let his mouth curl smugly into the smallest of smiles. He had caught Tadashi's gobsmacked expression right before the first year had lost track of him.

Despite not having teamed up for a year, Kise and Kuroko worked flawlessly. They ran circles around the opposing team. The ball flew across the court, boomeranged around the players, yet always returning to Kise's waiting hands. Kuroko felt his breath catch in his throat when he glanced at Kise; the blonde player seemed to be luminescent as he laughed and cheered as they scored another dunk.

As the game went on, Kuroko found himself grinning involuntarily. He had forgotten how _right_ it felt to pass to Kise. The blonde's constant awareness of his presence meant that not only would Kise never be taken by surprise by the trajectory of the pass, he could also place himself in the best possible position to receive Kuroko's uncanny passes.

Kuroko immersed himself fully into the game and allowed the pure joy of being Kise's partner wash over him.

They won 78-33.

The Kaijo players came up to Kuroko after the game, patting him on the back with newly formed appreciation and respect, with the glaring exception of Tadashi who was sporting a sour look.

A particularly tall boy shook his hand and stated admiringly, "No wonder Kise-senpai is always spouting praise for you."

Kuroko blinked. Kise talked about him to his teammates?

His confusion must have slipped through because another boy took over the conversation, "You should hear him." He shook his head in fond exasperation, "Every practice, it's Kurokocchi this, Kurokocchi that."

"Before I met you, I wanted to murder you. I heard your name so often it was beginning to feature in my dreams," a bespectacled boy chimed in.

Kuroko flushed.

"Oi, oi! What are you all doing, crowding around Kurokocchi?" Kise manhandled his way through the crowd before slinging a protective arm across the smaller male's shoulders.

The Kaijo team smirked at their ace and gave Kuroko knowing smiles before bidding their farewells and leaving the pair.

"So Kurokocchi~," Kise hummed. "Want to grab a milkshake on the way to the station?"

Kuroko perked up, "Vanilla?"

Kise laughed affectionately, "Of course."

As the model moved to collect his bag, Kuroko nibbled on his lip indecisively before steeling himself, "It's a date then, Kise-kun."

Kise stopped dead. His eyes flashed to Kuroko.

"W-w-what?" he asked haltingly.

Kuroko met his gaze squarely, stating firmly, "I said it's a date."

The blonde became as still as a statue, not even daring to breathe.

"K-kuro…ko…cchi…"

Kuroko waited patiently.

Finally Kise moved, stepping one foot forward tentatively before hastily retreating again. Kuroko rolled his eyes. If he didn't know better he would think Kise was acting like he was approaching a flighty, wild animal.

"I'm not going to run away, Kise-kun," he intoned dryly before closing the distance between them with two quick steps.

He could hear the quick intake of breath from the male in front of him.

Funnily enough, seeing the normally confident Kise dissolve into a nervous wreck because of _him_ , bolstered Kuroko's courage.

He slipped his hand into the blonde's, lacing their fingers together. He allowed himself to admire their interlocking digits for a moment before looking up at Kise.

"Let's go, Kise-kun."

Kise nodded numbly, gaze fixated on their hands.

Kuroko tugged at him gently, leading him to the exit. He wanted to burst out laughing at the glazed look Kise's eyes had taken on. The laughter died immediately when he saw Tadashi waiting outside the gym.

Tadashi's expectant expression crumpled when he saw them holding hands. But despite that, and the hot glare that Kuroko directed at him, Tadashi forged on, "Kise-senpai? You said that we could stay back and work on my dribbling today."

He sent Kise a carefully practiced pout. He needn't have bothered. The blonde only had eyes for the boy standing next to him.

"Hm? Oh…I'm sorry, Tadashi-kun. Maybe…tomorrow? I have a…date today."

It seemed saying it aloud himself did the trick of snapping Kise out of his stupor. An overwhelmingly dazzling smile appeared on his face. He tossed back his head and laughed giddily, crowing, "I have a date with Kurokocchi!"

Suddenly eager, Kise proceeded to haul Kuroko towards the school gates. The shorter male went willingly enough. Kuroko couldn't stop the self-satisfied smirk directed at the defeated dark haired boy though.

It seemed the message was finally received loud and clear.

Kise was _his_.

* * *

 _And we're almost there, one more chapter and I think this will be complete!_

 _Thank you to everyone who's followed, favourited, and reviewed thus far, the feedback really encourages me to keep writing._


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